Taiga Drama

NHK’s year-long historical drama television series...

Reach Beyond the Blue Sky

Ryohei: Sunday nights? I usually watch the taiga drama.

Kaori: This year it’s Shibusawa Eiichi?

Ryohei: Reach Beyond the Blue Sky. Great man, big cast, as usual, a costly production.

Kaori: Yet audiences are declining.

Ryohei: True. Even this one, it started with 20% of viewers, declined at one point to 13%.

Kaori: So is the investment worth it?

Ryohei: It’s a cultural investment. Shibusawa was an impressive character. Started life on a farm, became an activist, participated in a rebellion, went on to start up hundreds of companies.

Kaori: And never took any stock in them. Founded hospitals, schools, universities as well.

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Voice-over

Taiga (大河) or “big river”, translated from the French roman fleuve, is a long novel of a social group. The current “Reach Beyond the Blue Sky” is worth watching. Emotions mixed with economics and expediency in politics.

An Online Easter

A digital Easter…

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Susan: How was Easter for you this year?

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Maria: Well, we elderly and vulnerable were not supposed to go out.

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Susan: You missed church?

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Maria: Saw some great entertainment online instead. Jesus Christ Superstar.

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Susan: Andrew Lloyd Webber?

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Maria: Stunning cast. Superb cinematography. Only accessible for 48 hours. But then today guess who sang in the Milano Duomo? With no audience?

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Susan: Andrea Bocelli?

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Maria: A little older, a little thinner, but still he's Bocelli. Intercuts of empty streets of Milano, Paris, London and NY echoing him singing in the deserted duomo; nice production!

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Voice-over

Shopping online, education online, great entertainment online. The virus is a black swan heralding disruption in society as we know it.

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Marshall McLuhan on Educational Entertainment

Edutainment

Bud asks if he can switch to a movie channel.

Father: Sure. Good night for movies. Moneyball’s showing on Fox.

Bud: Oh no. Pete Sprat said it’s a con. You think it’s about baseball but it’s really about maths.

Father: Edutainment!

Bud: So which is it: education or entertainment?

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Voice-over

Marshall McLuhan came up with a lot of enigmatic aphorisms, particularly about media. In one, he said, “Anyone who tries to make a distinction between education and entertainment doesn't know the first thing about either.” He foresaw educational entertainment. A man ahead of his time.

What do you know about Marshall McLuhan? See synopsis of McLuhan at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9MafrHvSVQ